Shuffleboard weight



Patented June 17, 1952 STA-rs aft-gr trier.

2,600,855 SHUFFLEBOARD WEIGHT: th b evil a t J: a aaioraa 3 a a a m 1. M-y inventio n relates to an improvement in weighted discs of the type commonly employed in playing games upon" a shufileboard" or other sur effective' me'ans "for holding larger identifying means in positionion' a weight under all-condi- Hills Of Ilse.

'A further object is to provide for these addition advantagesin a weight without unduly increa'sing' manufacturing cost and without noticeably altei'irigtlieconventional outlineof a Weight.

. Other objectswillappear'from thedescription which fOHO WS'.

Inthe "drawings which illustrate the application of "my invention "t'o' shuflleboard weight: Figure "1 is a top view "of "a" Wei'ght embodying the improvement.

Figure 2- is" a bottom View of the same weight. Figure 3 is" across sectional'vi'ew through the centen'of the Weightb'fFigures 1 and 2 with vertical dimensions "in thefbottom' surface exaggerated'ior illustrative purposes? Figure l is' a similarcross sectional view illustratinga' modification of the top recess equipped identiiyin means; 'j

Figi1re5 isa similar cross sectional view of the body member only illustrating a modification in the bottom surface.

Figure 6 is a similar cross sectional view ofthe body member only illustrating still another modification in the bottom surface.

Referringto the drawings in which the same number refers to the same or similar part, the weight shown consists basicallyof a discoid body member I having a circular depression or recess 2 in itsj tdp 'surface. Recess 2 may have 'an y desired diameter but I preferthat its depth be'as heifeina fter'described in detail.

'In all of the illustrations shown the bottom surface of theweight has in itsexact center, coincident with the vertical axis of the weight, apex 3 which is normally the point of contact betwee'nthe weight and the surface of a shuflleboard.

'5 ci ar. Roi. was) In Figures SJandAapc 3 surmountsashallow cone whose slope '41has;been shown considerably exaggerated. and distorted in the illustrations,-

Aotuallyi slope iflwould malze an angle of from oneto five degrees with the 'surface of the shuttle-f board and slope :l would imperceptibly; merge with apex tree that in" reality apex 3 would;

present a smooth contact with the shuflle board. The shallow cone *referredto, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, has a base'radius of approxi: mately one-halfof the radius of the bottom sur; face.

lies in a plane a minute distance inward from; the plane in which apext lies: 'Thedifference in elevation between ridge brand apex3 maygbej from .005yinch" to .0010 inch. From ridge 5 to the periphery of the bottom surface such bottomsurface slopes to form the frustum of a shallow cone. The slope. l lirom ridge 5 ,to the periphery ofthe bottom "surface maybe parallel to slope 4.

When the Weight is slid across the board it normally balances on apex it but if it should tilt slightly or meet slight irregularities in the board.

surface it will bear on a portion of; ridge 5 as well as upon ape In my experiments with shuilleboard weights I findthis two 'pointcontact; under the conditions outlined to preserve the course o'fjthe'weightc and give better control toth'e'player.

Figure 5. illustrates the same basic construction, namely, apex 3has the point of conta'ct with annular ridge 5 surrounding it as a supplemem tary point of: contact since'it. lies in a plane'mi nutel distant from" the plane orapex's. In Figure 5 the outer portion of the bottom surface isshown'as theirustumof a shallow cone with slop'e'i l'but the region'between apex 3 and'ridge' 5 is'shown' surface formed. by the sweep of a smooth curve about-ape}: 3 merging with ridge 5 at its outer end and smoothly-joining with apex 3.

' Figure 6 again shows apex S as the sole point of contact "when the ridge is horizontal with Rising from the base ofthis shallow cone the bottom surface forms a ring or ridge 5jWhj-C11 located carrying a printed legend upon a selected color background. Made of heavy paper or cardboard label I, with diameter equal to the diameter of the recess at it undercut portion, may be easily snap fitted into position. As a protection a transparent cover 8 of similar diameter may also be snap fitted into position as shown. Label I and cover 8 may, if desired, be cemented together although I find that when in position as later described they will be firmly held in place without being secured to each other. Label I and cover 8 are sometimes hereinafter referred to collectively as the display member,

As shown in Figure 3 split ring 9, of a size to completely fill the undercut of recess 2, is inserted into the recess and firmly holds the cover and label in position at the bottom of the recess.

Figure 4 shows a modification with respect to holding label 1 and cover 8 in place. In this modification a flexible transparent disc I0 slightly larger than the bottom of recess 2 is snap fitted in position. The peripheral margin of disc I0 bears against the overhanging portion of the wall of recess 2 as well as upon cover 8 and being in a flexed'position constantly brings pressure to bear upon cover 8 and label I.

To supplement the identification markings carried in recess 2 on label I annular groove 6 is cut into the peripheral surface of body member I a short distance below the top surface. In most :3

cases shuffleboard weights have a peripheral surface that is convex and by placing groove 6 in the upper portion it is visible not only to an observer looking at the weight from the side but to an observer looking directly downward upon it as is shown in Figure 1.

Groove 6 is of such dimensions that the fingers of a player will not touch its internal surface. This surface may be painted with a paint of the same color that may be employed for the background of label 1. Thus each player may readily distinguish his weights, even from a distance, by the color of the paint in groove 6.

As heretofore stated, the depth of recess 2 is important. It is desired to have cover 8 or disc In so located from the top of body member I that a similar weight, shown as outline I I in Figures 3 and 4, will not strike them. At the same time it is desired to have the recess as shallow as possible to make label I visible at as great a distance from the weight as possible. To secure the optimum depth I find such depth must be slightly greater than the sum of the thicknesses of label I and cover 8 (and disc III as the case may be) and the depth of a segment of a circle (having a radius equal to the radius of the maximum diameter of the weight) tangent to the top surface of the weight at two points lying on the diameter of the weight.

It is apparent that many changes and modifications may be made in the outlines of the weights which may employ my invention and that various features of construction illustrated may be used separately or in different combinations, all without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A weight for a shufileboard or the like comprising a discoid body member having a conical bottom with its apex projecting downward therefrom in the vertical axis of the body member and an annular ridge between the apex and the periphery of the conical bottom concentric with such apex lying in a plane that is located normal to such vertical axis a minute distance upwards from the said apex.

2. A weight for a shuflleboard or the like comprising a discoid body member having a bottom surface dished upward and outward from a centrally located apex in its bottom surface to an annular ridge on the periphery of the bottom surface, the said annular ridge lying in a plane normal the vertical axis of the weight a minute distance inward from the point.

3. A weight for a shuffleboard or the lik comprising a discoid body member, a top surface, a circular recess in the top surface the bottom of which is surrounded by an undercut in its side wall, a display member seated within said recess and undercut and a bottom surface with an apex projecting downward therefrom in the vertical axis of the weight and an annular ridge concentric therewith lying in a plane that is located normal to such vertical axis a minute distance inward from the said apex such annular ridge also lying within the periphery of the bottom surface.

4. A shuifieboard weight comprising a discoid body member; a peripheral curved surface; a top surface; a circular recess in the top surface the bottom of which is surrounded by an undercut in its side wall; a display member seated in the bottom of the recess; the depth of the bottom of the recess below a line drawn on a diameter thereof and through the points of tangency of a described circle, of radius equal to the maximum radius of such discoid body member, with the edge of the recess where the line intersects the same, being slightly greater than the sum of the thickness of the display member and the depth of the segment of such circle lying below such line, and not more than the depth of a similarly formed segment by describing a circle, of radius equal to the minimum radius of such discoid body member, tangent to the edge of such recess.

5. A shufileboard weight comprising a discoid body member; a peripheral curved surface; a top surface; a circular recess in the top surface the bottom of which is surrounded by an undercut in its side wall; a display member seated in the bottom of the recess; the depth of the bottom of the recess below a line drawn on a diameter thereof and through the points of tangency of a described circle, of radius equal to the maximum radius of such discoid body member, with the edge of the recess where the line intersects the same, being slightly greater than the sum of the thickness of the display member and the depth of the segment of such circle lying below such line.

' CARMINE DECEPOLI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,118,727 Bibeault Nov. 24, 1914 1,275,598 Probst Aug, 13, 1918 2,379,053 Weingart June 26, 1945 2,425,966 Tjomsland Aug. 19, 1947 2,444,810 Creasy July 6, 1948 2,467,043 Kotler Apr. 12, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 176,164 Great Britain Mar. 9, 1922 

